Well flowing device



Dec. 22, 1936. M. P. LAURENT 2,065,227

' WELL FLOWING' DEVICE Filed Sept. 27, 1954 2 Shee ts-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. M P. LAURENT ATTORNEYS.

-Dec. 22, 1936. E T 2,065,227

WELL FLOWING DEVICE Filed Sept. 27, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 :F fi

iii H7 16 v 66 65 Fig. 88

INVENTOR. M. F. LAURENT l BY 10m 5 4 ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WELL FLOWING DEVICE Milton P. Laurent, Houston, Tex., assignor to W-K-M Company, Houston, Tex., a. corporation Application September 27, 1934, Serial No. 745,774

13 Claims. (Cl. 103-234) The invention relates to an improvement in flowing devices and particularly of the type wherein a single string of pipe is used to conduct the fluid and to constitute the control mecha- 5 nism for the device.

One of the objects is to provide a movable string of tubing in the well in combination with valve devices wherein the flow of fluid will be periodically admitted and expelled from the well.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fluid lift pump wherein the charges of liquid to be raised are intermittently admitted to the well and discharged in such a manner that any desired volume may be expelled from the well.

Another object of the invention is to arrange the ;'control and admission valves ofla fluid lift pump in such a manner that the admission valve may be closed when the control valve is opened fp'r the entrance of pressure fluid.

A still further object of the invention is to 20 anchor a partof the string of tubing in the well and reciprocate a part of the string of tubing in order to control the admission and discharge of the liquid from the well. I

* Another object of the invention is to provide a 25 mechanism for reciprocating the string of pump tubing in order to control the admission and discharge of the liquid from the well.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a double slip joint in a string of tubing wherein the inlet control valve is operated by the movement of one slip joint and the fluid pressure ad- 'mission valve is operated by the movement of the second slip joint.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a double slip joint in a well flowing device so that 'the liquid admission valve can be opened after the pressure fluid control valve is closed.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a fluid pressure device for counterbalancing the weight of the well tubing.

A further object is to provide a combination of valve for the admission of liquid and pressure fluid to the string of tubing so that the operation 45 of one valve is dependent upon the manipulation of the other in such a manner that the pressure fluid can not be admitted to the well formation and so that the pressure fluid valve will be closed when the flow is occurring from the formation 50 into the tubing.

Other and further objects of the invention will be readily apparent when the following description is considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of the lower end of the string of tubing and illustrating the detailed arrangement of the fluid pressure control valve.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section of the admission valve and is a continuation on the low- 6 er end of the structure of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic arrangement of the device illustrating the positioning of the parts in the well and on the surface and showing the mechanism for manipulating thetubing in order 10 to operate the valves.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a combined casing head and tubing counterbalance mechanism.

It is contemplated that the invention will be applied to existing wells which are either pro- 15 vided with a casing 2 or in some manner sealed so thatthere can be no escape of liquid or pressure therefrom. I e present invention will be de scribed in connection with a well which has a casing 2 extending down into the formation I and has its lower end sealed so that there can be no escape of pressure fluid from the formation up around the outside of the casing. The usual practice is to cement the lower end of the casing in position.

In some wells a liner or screen is provided beyond the lower end of the casing and extending into the producing formation; In other instances, however, no such screen is necessary and an open hole extends into the producing formation from the lower end of the casing. Such a construction has been illustrated here. It will be understood. however, that the present flowing. devicemay be applied to any type of well so long as the fluid. and pressure from the formation are permitted to en- ..ter the casing.

A string of tubing 5 is shown as having been lowered into the well and carries on its lower end the flowing device indicated generally at 6. Disposed below the flowing device on a pipe I is a packer 8. This packer may be of any desired form such that it may form a complete seal with the casing 2 and prevent the escape of fluid either upwardly or downwardly. It is preferred, however, that a packer will be used which may be set by the use of a single string of pipe.

When the device is to be lowered into the well it is probable that the fluid from the formation will have entered the casing and may be at a. level such as 9, which is the normal static head of liquid in the well. The device will be assembled on a string, lowered into the well, and the top of the casing will be sealed by a suitable head Ill. The packer will be set to close 55 off the casing and the device will then be ready for operation.

The detailed construction of the valves and the manner in which they are manipulated are best seen in Fig. 1, wherein a housing I5 is provided which serves to enclose the control valve indicated at IS. The housing I5 is arranged to receive the telescoping or slip joint construction I], which involves a nipple l8 which is threaded to the lower end of the string of tubing 5. This nipple is of a size to flt closely within the housing l5 and may beprovided. with packing l9 in order to maintain a .seal with the inside of the housing l5. On the lower end of the housing a coupling 2| is connected and may be provided with a plurality of inlet passages 22 for a flow of pressure fluid. These passages are shown as terminating in an inclined face 23 which serves as a valve seat for the valve member 24. The valve member 24 is formed on the enlarged lower end of the string of tubing 5. Suitable packing 25 is arranged on the inside of the coupling to form a seal with the valve member 24.

In order that pressure fluid may be admitted to the passages 22 a suitable entrance 28 is formed in the nipple I8. If the pumping device is not to be submerged in the liquid to be pumped the pressure fluid will enter directly into this passage 28. As a general practice, however, it is desirable to submerge the flowing device below the static head of liquid and with this in mind an inlet pipe 29 is connected to the passage and in Fig. 3 this pipe is shown as extending above any static head of liquid which may be encountered in the well. If the pump is to be submerged a predetermined distance a corresponding length of pipe with a slight excess will be attached to this nipple Hi. This pipe is provided so that the pressure fluid applied to the reservoir 30 in the upper end of the casing may enter the pipe 29 and pass through the valve 24 into the tubing. It is contemplated that fluid pressures may be applied to this reservoir 30 by means of a connection 3| in any manner desired, either by artificial means or some natural source of pressure. This fluid under pressure may be natural gas, air or any other suitable fluid which can be maintained at a pressure suflicient to expel the liquid from the well.

In Fig. 1 the valve 24 is shown as being closed because of its engagement with the seat 23 so that there can be no inflow of fluid pressure. In this position, the flowing device is arranged to be at that cycle of operation where the liquid is being admitted to the tubing from the formation. The admission valve is best seen in Fig. 2 and is carried by a section of pipe 35, which is connected to the lower end of the coupling 2|. This piece of pipe extends downwardly and has enlarged shoulders 36 which carries the packing 31 and is received within a sleeve 38. A suitable split gland 39 is threaded in the top of thesleeve to limit the upward movement of thisslip joint connection.

n the lower end of the passage 35 is the valve member 40, which may be of any suitable design but is here illustrated as the ordinary form of ball valve. The passage 35 is provided with a plurality of inlets 4| around the valve 40 so that there may be a flow past the valve and into the pipe 35 from whence the fluid will flow to'the string of tubing 5.

The sleeve 38 carries a suitable seat 42 for the valve 40. Beyond this seat 42 is an extension I, which may be of any desired length to extend into the formation so that the liquid may flow into the device. This extension as seen in Fig. 3 carries the packer 8.

The operation of this admission valve 4|! is dependent upon ,the movement of the string of tubing because the housing I5 is suspended on the string of tubing 5 by means of the valve connection 24 and the sleeve 38 is in turn formed with the slip joint connection on the pipe 35. With the parts in position as shown in Fig. 2 there will be a flow of liquid through the pipe 43 past the valve 40 into the pipe 35 and thence into the tubing 5 where it will rise to the normal static elevation of the liquid in the well or it will rise until such time as the string of tubing 5 is manipulated downwardly, whereupon the housing 5 being suspended on the valve 24 will move downwardly and the pipe 35 will move downwardly so that the valve 40 engages its seat.42. This movement prevents any further admission of liquid from the formation and also prevents any back flow of pressure into the formation.

It seems obvious that as soon as the valve 40 arrives on its seat there can be no further downward movement of the housing I 5. If, however, the movement of the string of tubing 5 is continued the valve 24 will move away from its seat 23 and admit a flow of pressure fluid from the reservoir 30. Inasmuch as this pressure can not flow into the formation it will be injected beneath the column of liquid which n has passed into the tubing 5 and will serve to expel it from the well by raising it upwardly to be discharged through the flow line 46.

In some instances the friction of the packings press the coupling 2| and the valve 40 against the valve seat 42. In event there is any tendency of the pressure from the formation to raise the valve this spring will tend to assist the weight of these lower parts of the device in closing the pump against the opening of the valve 40.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that-the valve 24 is closed at all times when the valve 40 is opened so that the pressure in the reservoir 30 can never be applied to the formation. This is true because as the tubing 5 is moved upwardly to effect the opening of the valve 40 such opening can only be accomplished the formation into the well so that the oil will seek its natural static head. Where the well will produce but a few barrels a day it may be desirableto maintain the valve 40 open practically the entire time and once or twice a day 'cordance with existing conditions.

the valve 40 may be closed by lowering the tubing and. the pressure fluid admitted to blow out the accumulated oil. Under other circumstances where a well will produce a considerable quantity of oil and, due to proration or other causes, but a small amount is to be produced, then the valve may be maintained closed at the same time the valve 24 is closed. When it is desired to produce a predetermined volume of oil, the valve 40 will be open for an interval suflicient to admit a charge of oil to the tubing and then closed while the valve 24 is open to expel this charge of oil. The tubing 5 will then be raised slightly to close the valve 24 and the flowing device will remain in this position until the proper time for the removal of another charge of oil from the well. It seems obvious that by manipulation of the tubing and valves 40 and 24 that any desired quantity of oil may be removed from the well in ac- If necessary the well maybe flowed but once a day and any minimum quantity obtained. On the other hand, the maximum quantity which the well will produce may be obtained by permitting the valve 40 to remain open a majority of the time and closing it only when it is necessary to flow the well.

In order that the tubing 5 may be manipulated a suitable device may be provided at the surface to cause a reciprocation of the tubing in accordance with the foregoing description. One form of such mechanism is shown in Fig. 3 and embodies a base which supports a pivoted fulcrum 5|. On this fulcrum is a beam 52 which is shown as pivoted about the tubing 5 as at 53. In order to rock the beam 52 to raise or lower the tubing 5 a Windlass 54 is shown. This windlass may include a handle 55 to reel or unreel the cable connection 56, which is in turn connected at 51 to the beam.

A locking device 58 is shown on the Windlass in order that the tubing may be set at any desired elevation and maintained in this position to control the admission anddischarge of fluid from the well. may be applied to the beam in order to facilitate the manipulation of the tubing and may be of any desired amount. 4

The invention contemplates broadly the manipulation of valves to control the admission and discharge of liquid from the well where a single string of tubing is used to support both the valves and serve as the operating mechanism' therefor.

While a packing has been shown at to formthe pressure reservoir 30, it will be understood that in'some installations where a considerable volume of gas is present in the well the packer may be so set that it serves only as a support and the gas may rise into the reservoir 30 and build up a pressure while the valves 24 and 40 are closed. With this arrangement the valve 40 would be opened to admit a charge of oil probably less than the static head and then this charge expelled by releasing the accumulated pressure into the tubing by opening the valve 24. The connection 3| would of course be closed when the device is so operated.

Fig. 4 shows a combination casing head and fluid pressure counterbalance which is employed to counterbalance a part of the weight of the tubing so that the eifort required to reciprocate the tubing to actuate the flowing device may be comparatively small.

A casing head BI is attached to the casing 2 If desired, a counterbalance 59' in a conventional manner, and this casing head 6| has side outlets 62 and 63. The casing head is centrally apertured to receive the tubing 5 and is provided with packing 64 .and a stufllng box gland 66 adapted to close the upper end of the casing around the tubing.

A cylinder 61 is attached to the casing head 6| at 68 and is provided at its'upper end with a.

stop ring 69 which isscrewed to the cylinder and has an inwardly extending flange H.

A piston 12 is of special construction and is adapted to reciprocate within the cylinder 61. On the lower face of the piston are the lip pack ing rings 13 and 14 which are adapted to prevent escape of fluid upward'between the piston and the cylinder wall and tubing respectively. An annular clamping ring I6 engages both lip packing rings and is held in place by means of 'the screws 11.

The upper side of the piston I2 is formed to A pipe line 84 connects the chamber 83 to the a bottom of a surge tank 86, and is provided with a control valve 81. A pipe line 88 connects .the casing head outlet 63 with the top of the surge tank. A suitable working fluid is provided for the chamber 83 and surge tank 86 and is maintained under pressure-by gas pressure applied through the pipe 88. Thus it will beseenvthat the fluid pressure and casing pressure will be substantially equal.

It is apparent that for a given casing pressure and weight of tubing it is only necessary to vary the area of the piston 12 to secure the proper lifting effort on the tubing.

Pads 89 on the piston engage the stop ring flange 1| and limit the upward travel of the piston and tubing.

It'is thought to be obvious that by supporting the bulk of the tubing weight on the piston and slips that the eifort required to reciprocate the tubing will be very small, and that very simple and cheap equipment would be ample for this purpose.

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid lift pump for oil wells including, a string of tubing arranged for reciprocation, an oil valve and a gas valve associated with the lower end of 'said tubing, and movable relative to each other, said valves being controlled by the reciprocation of said tubing and arranged so that the admission of gas to the pump occurs during an interruption in the admission of oil to the pump.

2- A gas lift pump for oil wells including a string of reciprocable tubing, a sleeve telescoping over and supported on the lower end thereof and having limited movement therealong, a valve interposed between said tubing and said sleeve and responsive to the reciprocation of said tubing to control a flow of compressed gas into said pump, a second valve, attached to and movable by said sleeve to control the flow of liquid into said pump.

3. A well, a string of tubing therein, a flowing device on the lower end of said tubing, said device comprising two slip joints, a gas valve assooiated with one of said slip joints, a fluid valve associated with the other of said slip joints, and

means to manipulate said string of tubing to control said valves.

4. A pressure fluid well flowing device includjoint in the string of tubing, a valve member for said seat carried by the movable part of the tubing, means to move the movable part to open and close said valve to the admission of liquid, and means in the tubing above said joint to admit pressure fluid when said valveis closed. 6. A device of the character described including a string of tubing, means to anchor one end thereof, a valve seat carried by said end, a slip joint in the string of tubing, a valve member for said seat carried by the movable part of the tubing, means to move the movable part to open and close said valve to the admission of liquid, and means in the tubing above said joint to admit pressure fluid when said valve is closed, said means including a second slip joint and valve.

7. In a well flowing device, a tubing anchor, a valve seat thereon, a tubing, a valve carried thereby, a slip joint between the anchor and tubing, means to move the tubing to operate the: valve to admit liquid to the tubing, and additional means also operable upon movementpf the tubing to admit fluid under pressure to expel the admitted liquid.

8. In a well flowing device, a pressure fllliid admission valve including a housing, means to restrain the housing against downward movement, a valve seat carried by the housing, a tubing disposed in the housing, a valve member to engage said seat, a spring normally holding said valve closed and means to manipulate the tubing to open the valve upon downward movement of the tubing to control the entry of pressure fluid.

9. A well flowing device including a well casing, a well tubing therein, means to seal the upper and lower ends of the casing and tubing to form a pressure fluid reservoir, meansto move the tubing with respect to the lower sealing means, and additional means on the tubing operable upon movement thereof to alternately admit liquid and pressure fluid to the tubing to efiect the removal 01' the admitted liquid.

10. A well flowing device including a well casing, a well tubing therein, means to seal the upper and lower ends of the casing and tubing to form a pressure fluid reservoir, means to move the tubing with respect to the lower sealing means, additional means on the tubing operable upon-movement thereof to alternately admit liquid and pressure fluid to the tubing to efiect the removal of the admitted liquid, said additional means includinga pair of telescoping connections in the tubing.

11. A well flowingdevice including a well casing, a well tubing therein, means to seal the upper and lower ends of the casing and tubing to form a pressure fluid reservoir, means to move the tubing with respect to the lower sealing means, additional means on the tubing operable upon movement thereof to alternately admit liquid and pressure fluid to the tubing to efiect the removal 'of the admitted liquid, said additional means including a pair of telescoping connections in the tubing and a spring to allow telescoping of the connection only after telescoping of the other.

12. A well flowing apparatus having in combination with a casing, a well tubing therein and a gas valve in said well controlling entry of gas -to said tubing responsive to the reciprocation of said tubing to open and close, and a fluid inlet valve at the lower end of said tubing in combination with a pressure cylinder having fluid therein, a piston in said cylinder supported by the fluid, said tubing and said piston being connected together whereby said piston in response to fluid pressure tends to lift said tubing and open said fluid inlet valve, and means to apply the casing pressure to the fluid in said cylinder.

13. A gas lift pump for oil wells including a string of tubing, a fluid valve actuating sleeve telescoping the lower end of said tubing and having limited movement therealong, a fluid inlet valve connected with said sleeve and adapted to be opened and closed by the raising and lowering of said sleeve, a gas inlet valve interposed between saidtubing and. said sleeve adapted to be opened and closed by said limited movement downwardly, said gas valve being openable only when said sleeve is in its lowermost position and said fluid valve is closed.

MILTON P. LAURENT. 

